Snap-fastener.



E. J. SMITH.

SNAP FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED MAR-16.!9I6.

1,236, 1 1 6. Patented Aug 7', 1917.

INVENTOR W TNESSES: %L

7 By Afton/Ky),

ELIZABETH J. SMITH, OF LARCI-IMONT, NEW YORK.

SNAP-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '7, 1917.

Application filed March 16, 1916. Serial No. 84,561.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Larchmont, in the county of lVestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to snap fasteners, and particularly to the socket-member thereof, and aims to provide improvements therein.

The present invention provides a snap fastener which is more durable, and which maintains its hold upon the ball member better, and throughout longer periods than similar fasteners at present in use.

Other advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said embodiment.

Fig. 4- is a plan view of the opposite side of the fastener-member shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4: showing a slightly different embodiment.

In said drawings, numeral 1 designates a disk, preferably of metal, having an opening or recess or socket 2 therein, preferably formed by embossing or drawing the metal of the disk to form a socket piece 3, through or into which the projecting part of the ball member is adapted to extend. A spring 5 is also provided. The spring is adapted to engage the projecting part of the ball member on two sides thereof, and the parts of the spring may be independent as shown in Fig. 1, or connected, as shown in Fig. 5. Slits or openings 4 are provided in the socket piece, through which the spring parts are adapted to press upon the projecting part of the ball member to maintain it in engagement with the socket piece. The spring is so constructed that the spring parts are each supported in the general line of their resistance at more than one'point by the fastener. As shown, the spring parts are supported at their two ends and transmit the pressure thereon of the projecting part of the ball member to two points, as a a, which are preferably symmetrical or substantially symmetrical to the direction in which the pressing force acts. There is,

therefore, a substantially balanced resiliency of the spring, each of the spring parts being supported at two points, the two spring parts being therefore supported at four points. This is superior to fasteners at present largely in use in which the spring or spring parts is supported by the fastener at only two points. The hold of the spring on the projecting part of the ball member is good. Moreover, the spring does not become set readily. As compared with similar fasteners in common use, by snapping together and in separating the ball and socket members, the present fastener has a useful duration several times greater than that of similar fasteners.

The spring parts are preferably formed with a straight portion 6 and inturned portions 7 and 8, and two portions, as the portions 7, may be united by a portion 9, as shown in Fig. 5.

The spring 5 may be fixed to the disk 1 in any suitable manner. Preferably the disk is formed with a flange or curl 10, against which the inturned ends of the spring abut.

Suitable perforations 12 may be pro vided for passing thread through in sewing the fastener to a garment.

Where the fastener is united to fabric by thread, especially when the edge of the fastener is provided with a flange or curl, the thlckness of the loops of thread around the edge of the fastener, even where the edge portion of the fastener is somewhat offset, is apt to interfere with the properand complete interaction of the ball and socket members. To obviate this inaptness the edge portion of the fastener adjacent the openings 12, is flattened, as indicated at 13. These ,fiattenings 13 are conveniently formed between the ends of the portions .7 and 8 of the springs, and between the spring parts, as the edge portions may be more effectively flattened by this arrangement, and the spring is thus least restricted.

The invention may receive other mechanical expressions or embodiment than those herein illustrated and specifically described.

What I claim is 1. A snap fastener socket member havinga socket adapted to receive the ball of a ball member, a spring device having a substantially straight portion extending alongside said socket and adapted to bear against a ball member, said spring being supported at both ends and each portion having substantially equal resiliency on both sides of its point of contact with said ball, and means for retaining said spring in proper position alongside said socket.

2. A snap fastener socket member having a socket adapted to receive the head of 'a ball member, said socket being in the form of a hollow cupped portion having a side opening through the same, a spring having a substantially straight portion extending alongside the outer side of said socket and adapted to bear against a ball member inside said socket through said opening in the side of the socket, said spring being supported at both ends and each portion having substantially equal resiliency at both sides of its point of contact with said ball, said socket member acting to retain said spring in proper position alongside said socket.

3. A snap fastener socket member having a socket adapted to receive the head of a ball member, a spring device having two portions adapted to bear against opposite sides of the ball member, each of said portions having a substantially straight por tion extending alongside said socket, each portion of said spring device being supported at both ends, and each portion having substantially equal resiliency on both sides of its point of contact with said ball, and means for retaining said spring device in proper position alongside said socket.

4. A snap fastener socket member having a socket adapted to receive the head of a ball member, said socket being in the form of a hollow cupped portion having a side opening through the same on opposite sides thereof, a pair of springs each having a substantially straight portion extending alongside the outer side of said socket and adapted to bear against a ball member inside said socket through one of said openings in the side of the socket, said springs each being supported at both ends and each portion having substantially equal resiliency at both sides of its point of contact with said ball, said socket member acting to re tain said springs properly spaced apart at each side of the socket.

5. A snap fastener socket member having a socket adapted to receive the head of a ball member, a spring device having two thread openings adjacent said curled portion, said curled portion being flattened adjacent said thread openings, the arrange ment of the flattened portions and spring portions being such that the flattened portions do not interfere with the spring portions.

6. A snap fastener socket member having a socket adapted to receive the head of a ball member, said socket being in the form of a hollow cupped portion having a side open ing through the same on opposite sides thereof, a pair of springs each having a substantially straight portion extending alongside the outer side of said socket and adapt ed to bear against a ball member inside said socket through one of said openings in the side of the socket, said springs each being supported at both ends and each portion having substantially'equal resiliency at both sides of its point of contact with said ball, said socket member acting to retain said springs properly spaced apart at each side of the socket, said fastener having a curled edge portion and thread openings adjacent said curled portion, said curled portion being flattened adjacent said thread openings, the arrangement of the flattened portions and springs being such that the flattened portions do not interfere with the spring. In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELIZABETH J. SMITH. Witnesses: GUsrAvn It. THOMPSON, THOMAS F. WALLACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. Q. 

